Walking through Nakano Broadway in Tokyo last weekend, I heard a great song playing over the speakers in Mandarake. Not knowing any Japanese, I couldn't ask who it was. It sounded new - very heavy metal riffs with a sweet little Japanese girl vocal over it, then erupts into screaming. All Japanese language, and it didn't sound like the usual suspects (Ayumi Hamasaki etc...)

Does it ring a bell? I think i also heard it blaring from a shop in Akihabara, so it may be a new release..

It wouldn't be Melt-Banana, would it? From your description it sounds like their song 'Free the Bee'.posted by macdara at 7:21 AM on March 6, 2006

Girly voice screaming in Japanese generally = Melt Banana, as macdara said. Mummy the peepshow, maybe? (this site might help)posted by shoepal at 8:21 AM on March 6, 2006

Sudden changes in tempo and lots of stop-starting also = Melt Banana. The official site (which resizes your browser window) has some sample tracks under the "eye and ear" section.posted by mediareport at 8:54 AM on March 6, 2006

Oddly, I don't think Melt Banana are very "big" in Japan. Maybe I'm wrong. Though, they seem to be only slightly less fringe there than in the states, so the fact that you heard the song twice in the same day in different parts of town seems unusual and might mean that what you heard was something recently released (as you suspect).

Then again, they did just release a two song single on Feb 20, 06.posted by shoepal at 9:01 AM on March 6, 2006

I'm familiar with Melt Banana - it's not them. This was more polished - more radio friendly. Think the band "Kittie" only in Japanese.posted by quibx at 9:57 AM on March 6, 2006

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